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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is Big Linker?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Big Linker is a search hijacker. These so-called "hijackers" manipulate your browser(s), for example to change your startpage or searchscopes, so that the affected browser visits their site or one of their choice.
This particular one closes your search tab and opens a new one with their own search engine.

How do I know if my computer is affected by Big Linker?

You may see this entry in your list of installed Chrome extensions:



You may have noticed these warnings during install:







How did Big Linker get on my computer?

Browser hijackers use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was downloaded from the webstore:



after a redirect from their website:



How do I remove Big Linker?

Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this search hijacker.

• Please download Malwarebytes for Windows to your desktop.
• Double-click MBSetup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
• When your Malwarebytes for Windows installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen.
• Click on the Get started button.
• Click Scan to start a Threat Scan.
• When the scan is finished click Quarantine to remove the found threats.
• Reboot the system if prompted to complete the removal process.

Is there anything else I need to do to get rid of Big Linker?

• No, Malwarebytes removes Big Linker completely.

How would the full version of Malwarebytes help protect me?

We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate this hijacker.

As you can see below Malwarebytes Browser Guard, and the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the Big Linker hijacker. It would have blocked their website, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.

Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:

CHR Extension: (Big Linker) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\akilfngnjmjeoklhmglkpaielnffmaoj [2021-03-05]

Alterations made by the installer:

File system details [View: All details] (Selection)
---------------------------------------------------
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\akilfngnjmjeoklhmglkpaielnffmaoj\6.3.61_0
       Adds the file manifest.json"="3/5/2021 8:44 AM, 1112 bytes, A
       Adds the file sr.js"="11/21/2020 11:15 AM, 7674 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\akilfngnjmjeoklhmglkpaielnffmaoj\6.3.61_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="3/5/2021 8:44 AM, 396 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="11/21/2020 11:15 AM, 1639 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\akilfngnjmjeoklhmglkpaielnffmaoj\6.3.61_0\icons
       Adds the file icon128.png"="3/5/2021 8:44 AM, 2188 bytes, A
       Adds the file icon48.png"="3/5/2021 8:44 AM, 253 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\akilfngnjmjeoklhmglkpaielnffmaoj
       Adds the file 000003.log"="3/5/2021 8:46 AM, 225 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="3/5/2021 8:44 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="3/5/2021 8:44 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="3/5/2021 8:44 AM, 183 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="3/5/2021 8:44 AM, 41 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "akilfngnjmjeoklhmglkpaielnffmaoj"="REG_SZ", "1BB6EEFCE89EAA3721D0F0C372FAF310DA656E69D47B32FF92C7C139AFEE6BE9"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 3/5/21
Scan Time: 8:54 AM
Log File: 0b93eea2-7d88-11eb-a7fd-080027235d76.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.3.0.98
Components Version: 1.0.1173
Update Package Version: 1.0.37813
License: Premium

-System Information-
OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1
CPU: x64
File System: NTFS
User: {username}-PC\{username}

-Scan Summary-
Scan Type: Threat Scan
Scan Initiated By: Manual
Result: Completed
Objects Scanned: 233337
Threats Detected: 11
Threats Quarantined: 11
Time Elapsed: 3 min, 48 sec

-Scan Options-
Memory: Enabled
Startup: Enabled
Filesystem: Enabled
Archives: Enabled
Rootkits: Disabled
Heuristics: Enabled
PUP: Detect
PUM: Detect

-Scan Details-
Process: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Module: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Key: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Value: 1
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|akilfngnjmjeoklhmglkpaielnffmaoj, Quarantined, 9553, 836150, , , , , , 

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 2
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Sync Extension Settings\akilfngnjmjeoklhmglkpaielnffmaoj, Quarantined, 9553, 836150, , , , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\AKILFNGNJMJEOKLHMGLKPAIELNFFMAOJ, Quarantined, 9553, 836150, 1.0.37813, , ame, , , 

File: 8
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 9553, 836150, , , , , 22EDFCAB97A335BF4E6DD4E9CB81AF2A, 519E3EA305EB0D461D2FAF632CFA56D48CB76EBD0C7A3DA7C659533BA3CBA1D6
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 9553, 836150, , , , , EF61E67731D1BCC8AC92EE8CC70BDA02, 5F2F8C19DCB3A6B1D3027AC8BCD6DDC33C9DED2F56E2B2005663973DBBD77ECC
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\akilfngnjmjeoklhmglkpaielnffmaoj\000003.log, Quarantined, 9553, 836150, , , , , 436C45805302A33BEF2BB7AF273CF024, B123ABB5CB3C46039C4F5CC4097638A8CA03DBE43DA22167563E2C3FAF7074EA
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\akilfngnjmjeoklhmglkpaielnffmaoj\CURRENT, Quarantined, 9553, 836150, , , , , 46295CAC801E5D4857D09837238A6394, 0F1BAD70C7BD1E0A69562853EC529355462FCD0423263A3D39D6D0D70B780443
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\akilfngnjmjeoklhmglkpaielnffmaoj\LOCK, Quarantined, 9553, 836150, , , , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\akilfngnjmjeoklhmglkpaielnffmaoj\LOG, Quarantined, 9553, 836150, , , , , E4481AA5EAC3196464A965134E326DEB, D3ECFB43E3A607893D7A687DC81B9EBC364CBDE5C95722C852F96FB1BCDBE6FC
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\akilfngnjmjeoklhmglkpaielnffmaoj\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 9553, 836150, , , , , 5AF87DFD673BA2115E2FCF5CFDB727AB, F9D31B278E215EB0D0E9CD709EDFA037E828F36214AB7906F612160FEAD4B2B4
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\AKILFNGNJMJEOKLHMGLKPAIELNFFMAOJ\6.3.61_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, 9553, 836150, 1.0.37813, , ame, , 50B72509D2EB1D083A6A2478222B5B53, 5CA539E2A474B249388B5937E4F0FED155AB3F881FF112996693C5A370C0FCB1

Physical Sector: 0
(No malicious items detected)

WMI: 0
(No malicious items detected)


(end)

As mentioned before the full version of Malwarebytes could have protected your computer against this threat.
We use different ways of protecting your computer(s):

• Dynamically Blocks Malware Sites & Servers
• Malware Execution Prevention

Save yourself the hassle and get protected.